The conventional processes for production of lower olefins by catalytic dehydrogenation of alkanes face a number of technical challenges, because of their endothermicity, thermodynamic limitations and rapid catalyst deactivation due to deposition of coke on the catalyst. At the same time, the use of oxidative dehydrogenation for lower alkanes is attracting increasing interest, both because of energetic and thermodynamic advantages--the exothermicity of the process and absence of equilibrium limitations and the stability of the catalyst--little or no deactivation. Although oxidative dehydrogenation usually involves the use of a catalyst, and is therefore literally a catalytic dehydrogenation, oxidative dehydrogenation is distinct from what is normally called "catalytic dehydrogenation" in distinct from what is normally called "catalytic dehydrogenation" in that the former involves the use of an oxidant, and the latter does not. In the subsequent disclosure, "oxidative dehydrogenation", though employing a catalyst, will be understood as distinct from so-called "catalytic dehydrogenation" processes in that the latter do not involve the interaction of oxygen in the feed with the hydrocarbon feed.